Parenting can be difficult at the best of times. You want the best for your child, but new parents might not always know what that looks like. Here are a few tips to add to the protocols we’ve already been hearing about, like social distancing and regular hand-washing:
-
Practice Good Hygiene At Home
There are many home implements that make it easier to practice good hygiene. Heat is one of the best ways to kill bacteria that are potentially harmful to your health. The most important items to sanitise regularly are those used for food preparation and eating. In a home with young children, a good quality baby bottle steriliser can simplify the cleaning processes where bottles are concerned. The easier your sterilization protocols are, the more likely you are to observe them, so it’s worth investing in appliances that simplify the job.
-
Get Sunshine
Vitamin D is one of the most important vitamins to boost your body’s immune response. A huge portion of our society is vitamin D deficient, and this wreaks havoc with your body’s ability to defend itself and stave off invading pathogens. In the case of children, this is even more important. Their immune systems are only fully developed at around three years of age, sometimes even later. Ensuring children’s bodies have what they need to build a strong immune system is crucial. Gentle morning sun and gentle afternoon sun will ensure the body is able to produce the vitamin D it needs without the risk of sunburn.
-
Encourage More time At the Breast
Not all children are breastfed and that is perfectly alright. However, if you are a breastfeeding parent, this is the perfect time to maximize a child’s time at the breast. If you have been considering starting the weaning phase, it might be worthwhile holding off on that until the pandemic settles down and the risk factor decreases. A tremendous amount of antibodies are passed from mother to baby through breastmilk. In fact, the mother’s body can custom-build the antibodies the baby needs based on the pathogens mother and child have encountered. Though you can rest assured that infant formula is still going to nourish your baby, breast milk is ideal.
-
Avoid Contact with Strangers
Social distancing is the new term on everyone’s lips, but is it really the best way forward to prevent the spread of the disease? Though contact with others is what exercises our immune systems, in the current climate, it’s important to keep your kids safe and socially distanced. You can exercise their little immune systems by allowing them to play in the garden and have some exposure to dirt. The microbes in the soil will stimulate the immune system.
-
Include Nutrient-Dense Foods In The Diet
Nutrient-dense foods include a mix of raw and cooked plant foods that can give the cells of the body the fuel they need to grow strong and vibrant. This helps them to resist disease and enables children to grow healthy and strong. Consider including pear, banana, apple, cucumber, tomato, and other plant foods that can be chewed on or juiced.
During a pandemic, like this COVID-19 situation, the work involved in raising a child becomes more challenging, and the pressure can feel overwhelming to new parents. However, you don’t need to stress. Follow the guidelines provided by the WHO and the CDC, and implement the five tips above to safeguard your child from the invisible enemy.
